Swings are common recreation apparatuses found in parks, playgrounds and households for the benefit of a user's amusement. The most common of swing inventions found in prior art are designed for use in a seated position. It is desirable to have a swing apparatus designed for use in a standing position, while further providing for unrestricted lateral spinning rotation and vertical bounce capacity.
While there are numerous swing assemblies designed for numerous amusement activities, many of the designs found in prior art make no attempt to provide a swing that is intended for use while standing up, is capable of bouncing and spinning, is quickly and easily attached to and detached from an overhead object, expediently adjusts length to accommodate the distance between an overhead object relative to the ground below, accommodates a wide range of heights of users, provides foot placement bracing means, provides a hollow line separator element through which a line feeds, is not bulky when being stored, is lightweight and simple to manufacture, and can be manufactured from a variety of materials.
Various swings contain a singular bracing means that enable unrestricted lateral rotation by the user. Bishop, et al., Play Swing Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,709 (Nov. 11, 1975) describes a swing device comprising a swivel mechanism and means for attachment to an overhead tree limb or rail by way of a singular chain element. This invention succeeds in providing a laterally rotatable swing, but requires a restrictively rigid, rectangular-shaped metal frame structure as one of its primary components being claimed; is sized such that the rectangular-shaped metal frame structure is designed to fit a child, thereby accommodating a narrow scope of user heights, and furthermore failing to accommodate adult-sized users; fails to provide means for bouncing along a vertical plane; fails to provide bracing means for a user to place their feet atop a platform; limits the length of the platform element to the distance between the opposing sides of the rectangular-shaped metal frame structure; fails to quickly and easily attached to and detached from an overhead object. And finally, the embodiment described in this invention provides two limited means for adjusting height: by way of raising or lowering telescoping side portions of said rectangular-shaped metal frame structure, or by way of shortening the chain element located between said rectangular-shaped metal frame structure and the connecting agent used to attach to said overhead tree limb. Adjustment of said telescoping side portions of said rectangular-shaped metal frame structure is severely limited to the vertical length of said telescoping side portions; said chain element is neither described nor claimed to be adjustable, however a user may conceivably choose to adjust the length of said chain by removing a portion of it, thereby raising the vertical distance of the apparatus relative to the ground. It is concluded that the means for adjusting height of this apparatus are notably limited.
Furthermore, as seen in Hense, Tandem Swing, U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,355 (Nov. 27, 2007), a swing invention is described as being attached to an overhead object at a singular attachment point by way of a chain element further containing a spreader bar element for the purpose of separating said chain element into right and left portions. Right and left seat elements are further attached to the ends of said right and left chain portions for the purpose of allowing two individuals to swing at the same time. Whereas this invention succeeds in employing means for separating a line by way of said line spreader element, it fails to provide means for the user to stand; fails to provide means for bouncing along a vertical plane; fails to provide means for lateral rotation; fails to provide means for height adjustment; restrictively requires simultaneous usage by two users; and, finally, fails to be quickly and easily attached to and detached from an overhead object.
The inventions described below comprise a freely spinning, bouncing swing apparatus, designed for use while the user is in a standing position. Said swing apparatus is quickly and easily attached to and detached from an overhead object by way of a singular bracing means, expediently adjusts length to accommodate the distance between an overhead object relative to the ground below while further accommodating a wide range of user heights by way of a convenient line tightening height adjuster element, provides an arc-shaped hollow line separator element through which a line feeds, provides foot placement bracing means atop a platform, is not bulky when being stored due to the yielding nature of a primary line element and the manner in which various connecting agents are composed, is lightweight due to the variety of high-strength lightweight materials from which the apparatus may be assembled, and is easy to manufacture due to the availability and simplicity of its parts.